Can the Imam depend on the people's saying if he is in doubt (about a certain matter)?
باب هَلْ يَأْخُذُ الإِمَامُ إِذَا شَكَّ بِقَوْلِ النَّاسِ
1936
Sahih Bukhari
Sahih
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ، عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ حُمَيْدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنَ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ يَوْمَ عَاشُورَاءَ عَامَ حَجَّ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ يَقُولُ يَا أَهْلَ الْمَدِينَةِ، أَيْنَ عُلَمَاؤُكُمْ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ هَذَا يَوْمُ عَاشُورَاءَ، وَلَمْ يُكْتَبْ عَلَيْكُمْ صِيَامُهُ، وَأَنَا صَائِمٌ، فَمَنْ شَاءَ فَلْيَصُمْ وَمَنْ شَاءَ فَلْيُفْطِرْ "
Narrated Humaid bin `Abdur Rahman:
That he heard Muawiya bin Abi Sufyan on the day of 'Ashura' during the year he performed the Hajj, saying on the pulpit, "O the people of Medina! Where are your Religious Scholars? I heard Allah's Apostle saying, 'This is the day of 'Ashura'. Allah has not enjoined its fasting on you but I am fasting it. You have the choice either to fast or not to fast (on this day).' "
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari 2003 In-book : Book 30, Hadith 108 USC-MSA web (English) : Vol. 3, Book 31, Hadith 221 (deprecated)
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